Peroxydisulphate activated FTO-WO3 nanorods based photoelectrocatalytic degradation of tetracycline: Intermediate products, degradation pathway and ecotoxicity studies

Babatunde A Koiki; Omotayo A Arotiba

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20882

Peroxydisulphate activated FTO-WO₃ nanorods based photoelectrocatalytic degradation of tetracycline: Intermediate products, degradation pathway and ecotoxicity studies

Heliyon. 2023 Oct 12;9(10):e20882. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20882. eCollection 2023 Oct.

Authors

Babatunde A Koiki¹, Omotayo A Arotiba^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Johannesburg, South Africa.
² Centre for Nanomaterials Science Research, University of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Abstract

This work reports sulphate radical assisted photoelectrocatalytic (SR-PEC) degradation of tetracycline using a visible light active fluorine-doped tin oxide - tungsten trioxide nanorods (FTO-WO₃ NRs) photoanode. The WO₃ NRs were synthesised via the hydrothermal method and then conducted on the FTO glass to form a photoanode. When the photoanode was applied without sulphate radicals for PEC degradation, 10 % of the tetracycline was degraded. Conversely, when 3 mM persulphate was added, the extent of tetracycline degraded was 88 % using the UV-vis spectrophotometer and 99 % using the ultra-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS) within 90 min at 1.5 V. The mechanism of tetracycline degradation was proposed based on the intermediate products identified using UPLC-MS and the extent of toxicity was evaluated using quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) analysis. Trapping experiment revealed that the photogenerated holes, sulphate radicals, and hydroxyl radicals were the oxidants that significantly took part in the degradation of tetracycline. Overall, the electrode was stable and reusable, therefore suggesting the suitability of FTO-WO₃ NRs photoanode in the presence of sulphate radicals towards the decontamination of water laden with pharmaceutical pollutants.

Keywords: Photoelectrocatalytic degradation; Sulphate radicals; Tetracycline; Toxicity; Tungsten trioxide; Water treatment.